Rail and tie fastener



Aug. 9, 1932- .v. L. KEECH RAIL AND TIE FASTENER Filed July 13, 1931 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES VERNON L. KEECH, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA RAIL AND TIE rasrnmin Application filed July 13,

This invention relates to tie and rail fasteners and has special reference to a fastener adaptable for use on a metal tie.

The principal object is to produce a more practical, eflicient, and dependable fastener than heretofore known.

Another object is to produce a fastener which when in position becomes as nearly permanent as possible, that is to say a fastener that actually requires a reforming of a portion of the tie both for attachment and removal.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description of the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fragmental portion of a metal tie with a rail mounted transversely of the same and one of the fasteners in posit-ion as such and upon the opposite side of the rail the open hole in the tie for the reception of the other fastener;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 Fig ure 1 showing both fasteners in position with but one ultimately fixed, the other being in the process of application;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the tie with the rail attached thereto; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of dog.

The tie I have shown is that of a novel form for which I am applying for patent in a copending application Serial Number 550,386, and is made of sheet metal, preferably steel, and generally triangularly shaped in cross section, the stock being of metal comparatively thin and susceptible of swaging when desired.

However it is. to be understood that other forms of ties thus susceptible may be used in conjunction with in novel form of fastener. The upper flat surface or face of the tie is illustrated at l, and has properly positioned thereupon two opposed rectangularly shaped openings or holes 2, their distance apart being substantially equal to the width of the base 3 of the rail. The edge of each hole, remote from the rail, has struck upwardly 1931. Serial No. 550,387.

therefrom an arcuately shaped tongue 4, which is materially less in width than the hole so as to form opposed shelf like shoulders 5, which shoulders are for the express pur pose of preventing the rear portion of the dog 6 from being depressed beneath the surface of the tie, as the dogs arestraight and flush upon both sides and have no other means to prevent their being driven below the upper surface of the tie, whereby with this con- 5 struction a portion of the tail 7 of the dog will overlap the shoulders 5 when the dog is struck home to holding position.

The opposite end of the dog is provided with vertically spaced lips 8 and 9 forming 5 a mouth for engaging the meeting edges of the rail and tread of the tie intermediate of the holes 2. These lips of the dog are normally spread apart to provide convenient means whereby they may be placed in posi- 7 tionready to be struck home as by a heavy hammer or sledge. The left dog in Figure 2 of the drawing is shown in such position with the tail overlapping the free end of the tongue 4 so that when the blow of the hammer is applied both the tongue and rear end of the dog are forced downwardy to that position just previously described where a portion of the tail overlaps the shoulders 5 and thus retards further downward movement of the dog. This having been done the next step is to force down the upper lip 8 as by a blow of the hammer or sledge onto the base of the rail, resulting in a position of the dog as clearly shown in the right one in Figure 2. 80

To provide for rails of different weighthaving different width base portions, a dog such as shown in Figure a may be provided and in which the upper lip 8 is stepped forming a shoulder 10 transverse same for engagement with the edge of the base of a rail of lesser width; or the throat of the jaws might be stepped to permit of the edge of the rail slightly overlapping the inner marginal edge of the hole on one side, thus providing means whereby one of such dogs may be used on one side and the opposite kind on the opposite side to permit of variation in the gauge of the track.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have provided a novel, simple, and practical form of wrought fastener.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

,1. A rail and sheet metal tie fastenercomprising in combination an upwardly struck tongue in the upper surface of the tie, and a rail engaging dog swageably engageable With the tongue for the purpose described,

2. In combination a 'rail supporting tie having an upwardly inclined tongue upon either side of the rail engaging surface thereof and a removable dog having a normally open mouth for unitably holding a portion of the tiean'd rail together, and a tail for swageable union with said tongue.

3. In combination a rail supporting tie having an upwardly inclined tongue upon either side of the rail engaging surface thereof and a removable dog having a normally open mouth for unitably holding a poition of the tie and rail together,-'and a tail for swageable union with said tongue, the upper lip of said dog being swageable upon the rail.

. 4. In combination a sheet metal tie for supporting a rail having a hole therethrough adjacent the rail engaging surface, an inclined tongue extending upwardly from one edge of said hole, and a removable dog insertable head first into the hole so that its mouth unitably holds the rail and tie together and the tail of the dog being swageably unitable with said tongue.

In testimony whereof I ailix m signature.-

VERNON L. neon. 

